President Tsai meets Solomon Islands Prime Minister Rick Nelson Houenipwela
On the morning of May 21, President Tsai Ing-wen met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Rick Nelson Houenipwela. During the meeting, the president said she hopes to promote cooperative relations between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands, and train more outstanding talent from the Solomon Islands so they can serve as an important bridge for bilateral friendship.
In remarks, President Tsai noted that 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the Solomon Islands' independence, and 35 years of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Prime Minister Houenipwela, she said, is showing how much he values Taiwan by leading a delegation to visit at this milestone moment in the bilateral friendship.
The president pointed out that the Solomon Islands has always actively spoken up for Taiwan's international participation. Under Prime Minister Houenipwela's leadership, the Solomon Islands has offered strong support, speaking out on Taiwan's behalf at a side event to the Bonn Climate Change Conference of 2017 in Germany, as well as the World Health Assembly (WHA) convening later that same day. These efforts have helped the international community understand that Taiwan wants to contribute to sustainable development around the globe. President Tsai, on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan, therefore thanked the Solomon Islands for its friendship and assistance. She also said she hopes to engage in mutually beneficial cooperation for the well-being of people in both countries.
President Tsai stated that bilateral cooperation projects have continued to develop since Prime Minister Houenipwela came to office. Beginning this year, Taiwan increased the number of scholarships available under the Taiwan Scholarship Program to students from the Solomon Islands from 10 to 15. This coming July, Taiwan will also hold the first session of a new vocational training course in catering, cooking, and hotel management. These initiatives are designed to cultivate more outstanding young talent from the Solomon Islands so they can return home and contribute their newly acquired skills while becoming an important bridge for bilateral friendship. The best example of the scholarship program in action, she said, is Prime Minister Houenipwela's daughter, who is now studying at a university in Taiwan.
President Tsai further pointed out that in addition to Solomon Islands personnel studying in Taiwan, the Taiwan Technical Mission in the Solomon Islands is also an important part of bilateral exchanges and cooperation. While visiting the Solomon Islands, she personally saw the results of the technical team's efforts. An apiary project is scheduled to get underway this coming July, with instructors from Taiwan helping rural villages in the Solomon Islands develop "champion agricultural products" with distinctive local character.
Finally, the president welcomed her visitors once again, and said that Taiwan has high hopes for continuing bilateral cooperation and working together to promote mutually beneficial bilateral relations.
Following President Tsai's remarks, Prime Minister Houenipwela delivered remarks of his own, stating that this trip was his first visit to Taiwan. He said he was honored by the warm hospitality he had received from the government and people of Taiwan, and noted that the Solomon Islands and Taiwan have used a variety of cooperation projects to steadily consolidate bilateral ties. The Solomon Islands, he said, will continue to firmly support Taiwan's right to attend the WHA and take part in international organizations and activities involving public health, the elimination of poverty, educational cooperation, the fight against corruption, and climate change to help Taiwan achieve a higher international profile.
The prime minister stated that the Solomon Islands and Taiwan are in close cooperation in areas like economic and trade relations, healthcare, talent cultivation, agricultural technology, and educational exchanges. The thinking behind Taiwan's New Southbound Policy, he said, is similar to the concept underlying the Solomon Islands' Look North Policy. Most importantly, Taiwan's many forms of assistance to the Solomon Islands are not limited to the nation's capital city, but are also provided to rural villages throughout the country. As a result, 85% of the people of the Solomon Islands have benefitted. Hopefully, he said, the two countries will be able to further enhance cooperative relations, and work together for the well-being of citizens in both countries.